Sporting KC hosts Open Tryouts on June 15-16

Sporting Kansas City will hold open tryouts for prospective players on Saturday, June 15 and Sunday, June 16 at the team’s Sporting Club Training Center in Swope Park, the club announced on Friday. The tryouts are open to players who are 18 years of age and older, and are among the first 200 registrants.

This year’s event marks the sixth consecutive year the club has held an organized open tryout. The previous occasions have drawn hundreds of players from more than a dozen different countries.

In 2008, the club offered open tryouts for the first time since the team’s inaugural season in 1996 and signed two players to professional contracts later that season. Nelson Pizarro appeared in three matches, while Kevin Souter played in ten games over two seasons, including two appearances in the 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs.

Members of the Sporting Kansas City technical staff will conduct the tryouts, evaluating and identifying all players who participate on Saturday, June 15. They will then select a group of the top performers from day one to return on Sunday, June 16 for a second session to allow the players an additional opportunity to showcase their abilities. No registered players are guaranteed a spot at the second day of tryouts.

Finalists from the open tryouts may then be given the chance to train with the Sporting Kansas City first team as they compete in their 18th season in Major League Soccer.

Interested individuals can register for the 2013 open tryouts at SportingKC.com. Players must pay the $208 tryout fee for the opportunity to participate and also must be able to provide their own transportation, lodging and food for the weekend.